Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Fashion Takes Action At The Green Living Show

I have a whole new mindset about eco-fashion after attending the Fashion Takes Action event at The Green Living Show. I had no idea that these clothes were so stylish and beautiful, with the added bonus of being environmentally friendly. Here are a few highlights from the show:

Spring makes an entrance with these bright coloured dresses

Looking bold as brass in this outfit

This outfit is perfect for a day at the office or a night out for drinks

Bust a move on the dance floor with this an eco-friendly number

I love these denim pieces paired with skirts and heels. Punk and chic all at once!

Who says fashionable can’t be comfy and save the environment?

The show was hosted by Fashion Takes Action – Canada's only non-profit organization that focuses on sustainability in the fashion industry which is notorious for its many negative social and environmental impacts including labour, energy, waste, water and the use of toxic chemicals. After working as a fashion publicist for many years, Kelly Drennan founded FTA to make change within the industry and raise public awareness about responsible consumerism. “It’s really easy to be fashionable, environmentally friendly, and stick to a budget,” Kelly said, and offered these savvy tips:

2) Rent a dress – “There are a lot of shops and businesses that will actually allow you to just rent a dress for an event. It’s better on your wallet, and it’s better for the environment.”

3) Buy second hand and vintage – “There are so many great vintage shops and some will help with styling.”

4) Invest in your wardrobe – Buy fewer clothes, and buy high quality, classic pieces. “The $20 shirt may be wallet friendly. But you’ll only wear it a few times until it’s no longer trendy. When calculate the cost per wear, the high quality piece that’s $130 will be pennies compared to the shirt that you only wear a few times and then throw in the garbage.”

5) Be kinder to your clothes – There’s a common belief that clothes are disposable and replaceable. Kelly says: “That’s an attitude that we have to change. You’ll treat a piece that cost $799 differently from something that cost $7.99. You’ll try to take care of it and avoid washing it. It’s a different mentality that we have to start embracing as a society.”

WANT TO BE FASHION-FORWARD AND SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT?

Fashion Takes Action and the Women's Healthy Environments Network are hosting Connect Beauty 2012, an annual gala that’s all about unifying health, beauty, style and sustainability. The evening's event will include an eco-friendly silent auction, great raffle prizes, local organic food and drinks, a number of vendors selling ethical products. There will also be a sustainable fashion show featuring high profile environmentalists (Olivia Chow!) strutting their stuff on the runway.